Coburn Kids

Yesterday was Caden’s appointment to replace his PEG tube with the new Mic-Key button. Daniel was able to come which was a treat, because I always seem to be the only one with the kids when something traumatic to them happens!  No more though. We got to Dr. Jackson’s office at 2 and they weighed Caden.  He comes in at an even 18 lb.’s now!  What a big boy. They put some numbing cream around his stoma (hole in the stomach) and then they came in to remove his PEG tube.  Yeahhhhhh…. that didn’t go so well.  Caden was crying big ol’ crocodile tears and frantically shaking his head while crying. Then the blood came.  I was holding Caden’s arms and Daniel his legs. Dr. Jackson was able to get the new feeding button in without a problem though and fill up the balloon (its what holds it in his stomach so it doesn’t fall out or in.)

Then came the words “cauterize”. Caden has what’s called granulation tissue around the hole in his stomach.  It’s common, it’s the body trying to heal the hole up but it’s beefy and red. It has to be cauterized so that it will stop growing. The doctor used silver nitrate sticks to do it and our instructions included the words “every other day do this until he starts crying…”  Translated, “do it until it hurts him enough to cry then you know you’re doing it right”.  Talk about tearing your heart out. I mean, the NG Tube was bad.  Having to phyically restrain your child to shove this piece of tube up your nose (ow), down your throat gagging you, into your stomach is bad enough as a parent to do to your child.  Even worse when it becomes second nature because you’ve done it for months.  My only comfort at this point is Caden will remember none of this.  He does have a remarkable pain tolerance though… which shouldn’t surprise anyone.

I’ve got the pic of his new button below though (he looks scared in this picture, I think it was the flash)!  I know there were some really interested in seeing what it looks like.  So I present our new blow-up baby, complete with an air hole: